• Sen. McCain (R-Ariz.) is expected to win desired concessions on torture ban. [NYT]

• Some Democrats worry recent antiwar statements by Rep. Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Howard Dean will backfire in midterm elections; GOP leaders rush to attack "wrong message to our troops." [WP, LAT]

• Christians are disappointed by non-religious White House "holiday" card; presidential pets are pictured on the front. [WP]

• Condoleezza Rice encounters a skeptical Europe. [NYT]

• Rice admits mistaken detention of innocent German. [WP, NYT]

• Rep. DeLay (R-Texas) is unlikely to regain a leadership role, though a leadership election is not scheduled. [WP, NYT]

• Congress opens inquiry to determine if the administration downplayed prewar information that predicted chaos in occupied Iraq. [WSJ]

• House Republicans leave out Bush's guest-worker program from immigration bill. [LAT]

• Hollywood rallies for People for the American Way and against Samuel Alito. [NYT]

• Cheney defends war, praises Sen. Lieberman (D-Conn.). [NYT]

• Democrats want to diversify the voter demographics of early primaries by seeking a "wider participation from a wider range of constituencies." [LAT]

• Antiwar demonstrators greet Hillary Clinton in New York. [NYT]

• National Republicans back Thomas Kean Jr. in New Jersey Senate race. [NYT]